When fabulous tools don't do what you expect them to do

I spent more than an hour of my morning trying to embellish this fabulous brass cuff I bought 3 years ago.

I was working on a sample so I could submit for CYS class in Tucson next year. On my plans: covering with fish leather, adding cup chain, hf flat backs, two shell stones and etc. 

Unfortunately, it didn't go the way I wanted simply because the hole punching and riveting tools I have do not work on this project. seriously...I get frustrating when some people try t convince simple mortals that certain jewelry making techniques are very easy, very basic...here is the thing: I am leaving out the brands of those tools so people do not feel like I am reviewing those products because that's is not what I am doing. 

1st: punch pliers...fabulous idea and great tool but only if you are working with metal blanks (and I am not talking about large blanks...average size blanks) just because cuffs that are 2 to 3 inches wide in the middle section would not be punched because it can't reach it...duhhhh! Not so fabulous tool for me at the end....

2nd: twisting hole punch tool and riveting system...on 2009 I had already used one of these tools  in a project I designed for my book "modern expressions" so I think it's a cool concept and this one had riveting head on the opposite side...how great is that?! nooope! Did not work at all for my cuff either because it can't reach the right place in order to rivet closed settings in lace...so I tried to change my concept and place them near to the edge as possible of my cuff because I could add several things between the two settings but again, I was wronnnng!

frustration, frustration and time wasted....

Unless you are Sandy Lupo, Kim St Jean or Candie Cooper, do not think that any mortal can do certain metal techniques without a wider array of cards under their sleeves.

As far as my cuff, I will get back on that design with the help of a metal smith who can use old fashion techniques from the real jewelry world and help my design become reality.

Both tools mentioned here are good for very basic hole punching design needs,but still you got to adapt the media you are working with to those tools - if you can do that fabulous! As far as riveting...practice a lot on cheap metals before you do your final design...it's tricky and requires lots of patience what sometimes I personally don't have it. 

Not mentioning that the sizes of rivets widely available in the market most of the time do not fill the needs of its applications...get ready to buy all sizes of head available so you can switch back and forth as may times as you design calls for.

Good luck!

PS. I do have a fabulous drill press machine and my friend Sandy Lupo already told me that that's the baby I need to work on this design...serious stuff! I was trying to make it work with a more light weight and casual tool so sometimes we do need complexity in life.